Teaching Courses In Northeast Thailand

[Lickey]

first off, hello to all of you out here hopefully enjoying the land of smiles as much as i am..ok,that out the way, my names mike i'm 28 and i've been teaching in a pittayakhom school for just over 3 months now, i've never been a teacher before and i've had my ups and downs but on the whole i'm really enjoying it out here and would like to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. however, i have a had a spanner thrown into the works in as much that the head of english at my school turned round to me and has said that unless i can get a tefl\tesl course under my belt when the school breaks up then i will not be continuing my work at the school. now i'l be honest, me and this teacher have had ''words'' in the past, she can speak good english and all that but it seems the subtleties of the english language are a bit lost on her. example, she came into on of my M1 lessons the other week and interuppted me saying ''if you don't teach better soon,you have no contract next year''...she also seems to mention my contract alot and the fact that i get paid more than the thai teachers,even during meetings where everyone is present. now i've tried to explain things to her, how i miss my family, friends, english food, and the fact i have a degree in graphic communication but she just goes into ''i don't understand'' mode. the thing that annoys me the most is that when i'm actually teaching the kids (with no outside ''help'') it has to be one of the fulfilling and enjoyable jobs i have ever done. sooo..where can i go for a good english teaching course? i can travel, within reason, and would like to avoid koh samui, pattaya etc because of the obvious distractions. also, and this must be posted on here all the time, i've not got a massive amount of money to spend so one thats cheapish would be good . anyway, thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any help\suggestions you feel may be helpful.

cheers, mike, namsom, 100kms from udon thani

[Scott]

Loaded posted the following:

The OP asked about NE Thailand. After clicking on your link I saw your course doesn't run a course in the NE of Thailand so your post is just spam.

The Op states that they wish to avoid pattaya and samui. You run courses in both of those locations.

OP

As far as i know there is only one course in the NE. It's run by Text and Talk. Chiang Mai or Bangkok would give you a wider choice of courses to choose from.

(Original post was deleted because it had a disallowed link in a nested quote)

[PeaceBlondie]

Hi Mike,

Welcome. You have several problems. Rather than just rambling on for one interminable sentence with bad punctuation, I'll do my best with an injured hand to demonstrate effective graphic communication, even though I earned my BA in Christianity in Texas

1. You live out beyond nowhere. Text&Talk is adequate. I take it your boss means next month. Good luck.

2. 85% to 95% of Thai teachers of English can't communicate well in English. Bosses who interrupt public classes with rude comments are rude and culturally inappropriate, even when they dress well.

3. From your rambling paragraph, it appears they don't appreciate you. I suggest you leave the pitiful pittiakom school out beyond nowhere and find a bettter school.

Good luck.

[mizzi39]

Hi Mike,

Welcome. You have several problems. Rather than just rambling on for one interminable sentence with bad punctuation, I'll do my best with an injured hand to demonstrate effective graphic communication, even though I earned my BA in Christianity in Texas

1. You live out beyond nowhere. Text&Talk is adequate. I take it your boss means next month. Good luck.

2. 85% to 95% of Thai teachers of English can't communicate well in English. Bosses who interrupt public classes with rude comments are rude and culturally inappropriate, even when they dress well.

3. From your rambling paragraph, it appears they don't appreciate you. I suggest you leave the pitiful pittiakom school out beyond nowhere and find a bettter school.

Good luck.

Yes, sounds like your working for a 2nd-3rd rate institution. Guaranteed you will have more bull sheate next term. Cut your losses now. T&T is good. I did my TEFL through them (in BKK). I know the person who is incharge of the program in Khon Khen. He is a really nice guy. Expect to pay around $1300-$1500 US. for a 4 week course. Good Luck!

Edited September 11, 2009 by mizzi39

[Scott]

I hate to agree with PB and the following post, but your problems at the school will not likely be solved by a TEFL. They are very unappreciative of you and I would suggest that October be spent looking for alternative employment.

[toptuan]

Agree with Scott. She's got it in for you. After you get your TEFL, it'll be something else. Time to job-shop. PM me for one possible job lead, also in Isaan.

[PeaceBlondie]

No time for a "my 4-week TEFL course is better than your UCLE." Time to get out of Dodge and you're not in Kansas anymore/

'

[Lickey]

Loaded posted the following:

The OP asked about NE Thailand. After clicking on your link I saw your course doesn't run a course in the NE of Thailand so your post is just spam.

The Op states that they wish to avoid pattaya and samui. You run courses in both of those locations.

OP

As far as i know there is only one course in the NE. It's run by Text and Talk. Chiang Mai or Bangkok would give you a wider choice of courses to choose from.

(Original post was deleted because it had a disallowed link in a nested quote)

my post is just spam? no mate, i'm looking for advice.

[Lickey]

No time for a "my 4-week TEFL course is better than your UCLE." Time to get out of Dodge and you're not in Kansas anymore/

'

cheers

[Lickey]

Hi Mike,

Welcome. You have several problems. Rather than just rambling on for one interminable sentence with bad punctuation, I'll do my best with an injured hand to demonstrate effective graphic communication, even though I earned my BA in Christianity in Texas

1. You live out beyond nowhere. Text&Talk is adequate. I take it your boss means next month. Good luck.

2. 85% to 95% of Thai teachers of English can't communicate well in English. Bosses who interrupt public classes with rude comments are rude and culturally inappropriate, even when they dress well.

3. From your rambling paragraph, it appears they don't appreciate you. I suggest you leave the pitiful pittiakom school out beyond nowhere and find a bettter school.

Good luck.

Yes, sounds like your working for a 2nd-3rd rate institution. Guaranteed you will have more bull sheate next term. Cut your losses now. T&T is good. I did my TEFL through them (in BKK). I know the person who is incharge of the program in Khon Khen. He is a really nice guy. Expect to pay around $1300-$1500 US. for a 4 week course. Good Luck!

once a teacher...i thought i was posting a link asking for help/guidance, not doing a test for you to evaluate.

[PeaceBlondie]

Lickey, we've advised you. Loaded didn't say your post was spam; he was referring to another poster's deleted post.

[otherstuff1957]

I have seen similar situations to yours at other Thai schools over the years and I have to agree with the other posters' advice. Having made an enemy at that school you have no future there at all. Even if you jump through their hoops and get a contract for next year, it is unlikely that you would make it though the first semester. Thai teachers are usually masters at office politics and , once they have turned against someone, they will hound them until the poor sucker is gone.

Just move on, probably to another town would be best.

[toptuan]

Lickey, we've advised you. Loaded didn't say your post was spam; he was referring to another poster's deleted post.

Loaded probably shouldn't have said "Original Post" because that confuses it with the FIRST post. Confused the H_ll out of me, too.

[Loaded]

Lickey, we've advised you. Loaded didn't say your post was spam; he was referring to another poster's deleted post.

Loaded probably shouldn't have said "Original Post" because that confuses it with the FIRST post. Confused the H_ll out of me, too.

after the spam post was deleted, it may have been better for my post to be deleted as well

Edited September 12, 2009 by Loaded

[Scott]

Sorry about the confusion. I try not to delete a post that responds with information that may be useful. In this case, I wasn't able to get the quote out of Loaded's post--my fault, but the information seemed to be valuable and so it was left.

The tolerance level for flaming other posters is low in the teaching forum. In many cases posters are seeking information and that is what we would like to provide. Flaming and off-topic remarks detracts from that goal.

In this case, that is my fault and I apologize.

[toptuan]

Well, OK, we'll keep you on for another week or two....

[Munted]

Yes, sounds like your working for a 2nd-3rd rate institution. Guaranteed you will have more bull sheate next term. Cut your losses now. T&T is good. I did my TEFL through them (in BKK). I know the person who is incharge of the program in Khon Khen. He is a really nice guy. Expect to pay around $1300-$1500 US. for a 4 week course. Good Luck!

Re T & T - yes. Find a school that appreciates your efforts. Students are fairly much the same, so if you bond with your present lot, you'll find you have the skills to do the same at a future school.

[Scott]

Well, OK, we'll keep you on for another week or two....

Thanks. Now I can sleep well tonight!

[Lickey]

Hi folks, my son Mike is the OP, a few nights ago,he asked me if he could post on here using my name ect, I said ok, but keep it short and sweeet, for instance,,,,

Does anyone know of a reasonably priced TEFL course in Udon Thani or Khon Kaen, TIA, Mike..

But no, little sod went OTT ranting on about the school ect,

I have told him to open his own acc on TV so i dont get banned !!!!!

Thankyou all for your replies and understanding, Cheers, Lickey..

[Scott]

Since the OP isn't really the OP, but the 'new' OP either has or should have an account of his own, I'll close this thread for now.